Our first day aboard National Geographic Sea Lion was filled with excitement and wonderment. Not wasting any time, we headed south towards Tracy Arm Fjord to South Sawyer Glacier. Cruising past icebergs, bergy bits, and growlers, everyone got to see the immensity of Southeast Alaska as the fjord’s steep granite walls rose around us. For the day’s first expedition, we loaded into Zodiacs to get a closer look at the face of South Sawyer, a tidewater glacier. We observed numerous harbor seals and even some bald eagles perched on the ice. In the afternoon, we cruised south in hopes of spotting some other charismatic megafauna, specifically humpback whales, as we sailed through Stephen’s Passage. It felt like we were in whale soup, as we became totally surrounded by humpbacks. Spouts and flukes were seen everywhere.
- Daily Expedition Reports
- 11 Jun 2023
South Sawyer Glacier and Stephen’s Passage, 6/11/2023, National Geographic Sea Lion
- Aboard the National Geographic Sea Lion
- Alaska
Emily Mall, Naturalist
Emily proudly grew up in the state of Michigan, doing whatever she could to experience and get to know our natural world. She carries a degree in zoology and public policy and worked in an agroecology lab throughout her time in school. Discovering th...
Read MoreShare Report
Alaska Escape: LeConte Bay, Wrangell and Misty Fjords
VIEW ITINERARYRelated Reports
5/21/2025
Read
National Geographic Sea Bird
Wrangell, Alaska
We arrived early to the town of Wrangell, excited to get the activities underway for our morning ashore. The excursion options included a jet boat tour up the Stikine River, a visit to the Shake’s house (traditional Long House), and investigating petroglyphs on a local beach. We returned to National Geographic Sea Bird for a delicious lunch and then went out for the afternoon activities. The options included a visit to the town museum and a hike up Mt. Dewey. We had lovely weather for our wonderful day of exploring.
5/20/2025
Read
National Geographic Sea Bird
Cascade Creek/Ruth Island Petersburg, Alaska
The misty Alaska landscape was no stranger to us this morning as we woke to anchor in Thomas Bay. Our expedition today took us on tours around more of the Tongass National Forests’ splendor. We embarked on trails to see the falls of Cascade Creek, which were immensely powerful, casting misty spray across the forest of Western hemlock and Sitka spruce. Everything in the forest was incredibly dense, with life in all areas of the over and understory. In the afternoon, we explored Ruth Island, this time bushwacking along a tributary to make our way up to a beaver-dammed pond. The sight was fantastical, set among the forest with reed grass, toads, passerines, and even dense clumps of sundew. Guests adventured with large smiles on their faces as we felt the presence of wild Alaska.